Safety Assessment of Endovascular Treatment of Cerebral Aneurysms in Patients with Fibromuscular Dysplasia

Microsurgical Clipping of Intracranial Aneurysms in the Endovascular Era

The treatment of intracranial aneurysms (IA) began in the late 19th century. Some degree of controversy has always surrounded the best treatment modality for IA. Cushing and Dandy debated about cervical carotid ligation as the only surgical alternative before the introduction of microsurgical clipping. In the early 21st century, the debate has centered on surgical versus^ endovascular techniques. With the advent of newer endovascular techniques and devices, there has been a dramatic shift in treatment paradigms toward endovascular intervention that is preferred by both physicians and patients. However, there will always be a need for microsurgical cerebrovascular expertise since some aneurysms cannot or should not be embolized. This creates a difficult conundrum as only the most complex of aneurysms will require open surgery, but the lack of volume and training will be a challenge in teaching and maintaining the surgical expertise required to safely treat them. The purpose of this review is to discuss the history of IA treatment and critically evaluate the current state of the art of IA treatment, with a specific focus on the necessary role microsurgical clipping continues to play in the current treatment landscape.

Imaging of Petrous Apex Lesions

The petrous apex may be affected by a range of lesions, commonly encountered as incidental and asymptomatic findings on imaging performed for other clinical reasons. Symptoms associated with petrous apex lesions commonly relate to mass effect and/or direct involvement of closely adjacent structures. Petrous apex lesions are optimally assessed using a combination of high-resolution CT and MRI of the skull base. Management of petrous apex lesions varies widely, reflecting the range of possible pathologies, with imaging playing a key role, including lesion characterization, surveillance, surgical planning, and oncological contouring.

High flow bypass for right giant cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm with fibromuscular dysplasia of cervical internal carotid artery: microsurgical 2-D video

Background

It is well known that intracranial aneurysms can be associated to fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Nevertheless, it is not clear the best treatment strategy when there is an association of giant symptomatic cavernous carotid aneurysm with extensive cervical internal carotid artery (ICA) FMD.

Case Description

We present the case of 63 year-old right-handed female with hypothyroidism, 1 month history of right-sided pulsatile headache and visual disturbances with feeling of fullness sensation and blurry vision. Her neurological exam showed partial right oculomotor nerve palsy with mild ptosis, asymmetric pupils (right 5 mm and left 3mm, both reactive), and mild exotropia, normal visual acuity. Computed tomography angiogram and conventional angiogram showed 2.5 × 2.6 × 2.6 cm non-ruptured aneurysm arising from cavernous segment of the right ICA. She had right hypoplastic posterior communicant artery, and collateral flow through anterior communicant artery during balloon test occlusion and the presence of right cervical ICA FMD. The patient was started on aspirin. After lengthy discussion of treatment options in our neurovascular department, between observations, endovascular treatment with flow diverter device, or high flow bypass, recommendation was to perform high flow bypass and patient consented for the procedure. We performed right-sided pterional trans-sylvian microsurgical approach and right neck dissection at common carotid bifurcation under electrophysiology monitoring (somatosensory evoked potentials and electroencephalography); while vascular surgery department assisted with the radial artery graft harvesting. The radial artery graft was passed through preauricular tunnel, cranially was anastomosed at superior trunk of middle cerebral artery, and caudally at external carotid artery (Video). Intraoperative angiogram showed adequate bypass patency and lack of flow within aneurysm. The patient was extubated postoperatively and discharged home with aspirin in postoperative day 5. Improvement on oculomotor deficit was complete 3 weeks after surgery.

Conclusion

Nowadays, endovascular therapy can manage small to large cavernous ICA aneurysms even if associated to FMD, although giant symptomatic cavernous carotid aneurysms impose a different challenge. Here, we present the management for the association of symptomatic giant cavernous ICA aneurysm and cervical ICA FMD with high flow bypass. We consider important to keep the skills in the cerebrovascular neurosurgeon armamentarium for the safe management of these lesions.

Rapid de novo Formation of a Large Aneurysm in a Patient with Fibromuscular Dysplasia

Objective

The authors report the first case of intracranial fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) presenting with rapid de novo formation of an unruptured large vertebral artery (VA) fusiform aneurysm.

Case Presentation

A 41-year-old man presented with left hemiparesis. He had a giant thrombosed aneurysm at the basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery (BA-SCA) junction and a left extracranial VA aneurysm. A de novo VA fusiform aneurysm developed during a 1-month interval following the first session of intravascular coil embolization for the BA-SCA aneurysm. Stress on the fragile artery due to FMD during micro-catheterization may have caused the de novo aneurysm. An anomalous aortic origin of the left VA may also have played a role in the formation of the large de novo aneurysm and extracranial VA aneurysm. We performed overlapping stent-assisted coil embolization for the VA fusiform aneurysm using an Enterprise VRDs, and coil embolization for the BA-SCA thrombosed aneurysm using the stent-assisted technique with an Enterprise stent. Both aneurysms remained occluded for 7 years.

Conclusion

We concluded micro-catheterization to be the cause of the large de novo aneurysm. This case emphasizes the importance of carefully performing intravascular interventional procedures for patients with FMD.